Американские боги

           Heunscrewedthetopfromthesalt-shaker,pouredalittleheapofsaltonthetable."Butthejewelergetsareceipt,andassurancethathe’llgetthenecklacestraightbackassoonasSoapycomestotrial.Heiscongratulatedonbeingagoodcitizen,andhewatches,proudly,alreadythinkingofthetalehe’llhavetotellatthenextmeetingoftheOddfellowstomorrownight,asthepolicemanmarchesthemanpretendingtobeabishopoutofthestore,twelvehundreddollarsinonepocket,atwelve-hundred-dollardiamondnecklaceintheother,ontheirwaytoapolicestationthat’llneverseehidenorhairofeitherofthem."

           Thewaitresshadreturnedtoclearthetable."Tellme,mydear,"saidWednesday."Areyoumarried?"

           Sheshookherhead.

           "Astonishingthatayoungladyofsuchlovelinesshasnotyetbeensnappedup."Hewasdoodlingwithhisfingernailinthespilledsalt,makingsquat,blockyrune-likeshapes.Thewaitressstoodpassivelybesidehim,remindingShadowlessofafawnandmoreofayoungrabbitcaughtinaneighteen-wheeler’sheadlights,frozeninfearandindecision.

           Wednesdayloweredhisvoice,somuchsothatShadow,onlyacrossthetable,couldbarelyhearhim."Whattimedoyougetoffwork?"

           "Nine,"shesaid,andswallowed."Ninethirtylatest."

           "Andwhatisthefinestmotelinthisarea?"

           "There’saMotel6,"shesaid."It’snotmuch.